Hey there, cricket lovers! If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing quite like settling in for an IPL match on a warm evening, popcorn in hand, cheering for your favorite team. The 2025 season has been a rollercoaster, hasn’t it? With explosive batting, clever bowling tactics, and those nail-biting finishes that keep us glued to the screen. Today, I’m diving into one of those unforgettable encounters: the showdown between the Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings Match Scorecard 30. Played on April 14, 2025, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, this game was a perfect blend of strategy, skill, and sheer drama.
Picture this: LSG, riding high on a three-game winning streak, were the home favorites, sitting pretty in fourth place on the points table. Meanwhile, CSK, the five-time champions, were in a bit of a slump—rooted at the bottom with just one win and five straight losses. Their captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was sidelined by an elbow injury, so the legendary MS Dhoni stepped in to lead the yellow brigade. The stakes? Huge. For LSG, a win meant pushing towards the top spot. For CSK, it was a desperate bid to snap their losing streak and reignite playoff hopes. And boy, did it deliver! CSK pulled off a stunning five-wicket victory, chasing down 167 with just three balls to spare. Let’s break it all down, step by step, like we’re chatting over a cup of chai.
The Build-Up: Why This Match Mattered More Than Most
Before the first ball was bowled, the buzz was electric. Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, known for its tricky pitches that can slow down as the game progresses, had already hosted three IPL 2025 games with varying results. The first was a high-scoring thriller, but the last two favored the bowlers in the second innings due to grip and turn. Weather-wise, it was a balmy evening—clear skies, around 28 degrees Celsius, with a gentle breeze that might have played into the dew factor later. No rain interruptions, thankfully, so fans got the full 40 overs of action.
LSG came into this as the form team. Led by the dynamic Rishabh Pant, they’d won four of their six games, thanks to explosive starts from openers like Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, and the middle-order firepower of Nicholas Pooran—who was holding the Orange Cap with 349 runs at a strike rate of 215! Pooran had been a beast, smashing bowlers left, right, and center. But against CSK, his record wasn’t as shiny: just 249 runs in 10 previous meetings, with a best of 64 not out. Could he break through?
On the flip side, CSK were hurting. Losing five in a row? That’s uncharacteristic for a side that’s synonymous with consistency. Dhoni’s return as captain was a morale booster, but the batting had collapsed spectacularly in their last game against KKR, skittled for 103. Key players like Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja needed to step up, and the bowling attack—bolstered by the mystery spin of Noor Ahmad and the pace of Matheesha Pathirana—had to find rhythm. Head-to-head, LSG led 3-1 in five meetings (one no-result), but IPL history teaches us never to count out the men in yellow.
The toss? CSK won it and elected to field first, banking on the dew to aid their chase. Smart move, as it turned out. Umpires Ulhas Gandhe, Virender Sharma, and the international overseer Michael Gough were on duty, ensuring a fair game. Now, let’s get to the action.
LSG’s Innings: A Solid Start, But CSK’s Bowlers Fight Back
LSG openers Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh strode out under the floodlights, facing a CSK attack eager to make amends. Khaleel Ahmed, with four wickets in opening overs this season, struck gold early. In the first over, he bowled a sharp inswinger that Markram edged to Rahul Tripathi at cover—a stunning diving catch running backwards! Markram out for a duck. That set the tone.
Marsh and the incoming Rishabh Pant tried to rebuild. Marsh, fresh off a fifty in the previous game, looked aggressive, but CSK’s new-ball swing was on point. Anshul Kamboj, the young pacer, joined the party in the powerplay, dismissing Marsh with a yorker that cleaned him up—bowled for 12 off 8 balls. LSG were 28/2 after five overs, and the pressure was on.
Enter Nicholas Pooran, the man with the golden touch. But this was CSK, and they had plans. Noor Ahmad, the Afghan spinner, came on early and foxed Pooran with a googly in the seventh over. Pooran edged it to Dhoni behind the stumps—gone for 18 off 12. LSG 45/3. The crowd, a mix of purple LSG faithful and yellow CSK supporters (yep, even in Lucknow, Dhoni has fans everywhere), let out a collective gasp.
Pant, promoted to No. 4, took charge. The former Delhi Capitals skipper, known for his fearless strokeplay, danced down the track to Ravichandran Ashwin and lofted him over mid-on for six. He and Ayush Badoni (who came in at No. 5) added 45 runs for the fourth wicket, with Pant reaching his fifty off 32 balls. Badoni chipped in with a quick 22, including a pulled four off Matheesha Pathirana’s high-speed bouncer.
But CSK’s middle-overs stranglehold kicked in. Ravindra Jadeja, the all-round wizard, entered the attack and struck twice in quick succession. First, he had Badoni stumped off a quicker one—22 off 16. Then, in the 13th over, he trapped David Miller lbw with a straight delivery that the South African couldn’t sweep away. Miller reviewed it, but Hawk-Eye said “out”—gone for 15. LSG slipped to 102/5.
Jadeja’s figures at this point? 2/10 off two overs. Masterful stuff. The pitch was assisting spin now, with some balls gripping and turning square. Pant, looking to accelerate, found an ally in Abdul Samad. The duo pushed the score along, with Pant smashing a cover drive off Kamlesh Nagarkoti for four and Samad pulling Jadeja for six over square leg. By the 16th over, LSG had crossed 120, but the asking rate for CSK was still manageable.
The strategic timeout came at 111/5 for CSK in their chase later, but for LSG, it was crunch time. Shardul Thakur, wait no—LSG’s lower order included Shahbaz Ahmed and Avesh Khan. Shahbaz added a brisk 19 with some cheeky ramps, but Noor Ahmad returned to claim his second wicket, bowling Shahbaz with a wrong’un in the 18th over.
Pant, now on 55, went for glory against Pathirana’s slingy action. He holed out to long-on for 63 off 49 balls—a gritty knock with seven fours and two sixes. Ravi Bishnoi, subbed in as Impact Player, hit a quick 8, and Avesh Khan added 7 not out. In the end, LSG finished at 166/7 off 20 overs. Run rate: 8.30.
CSK’s bowlers were spot on. Jadeja’s 2/24 off three overs was the pick, supported by Noor Ahmad’s miserly 0/13 off four. Khaleel (1/28) and Kamboj (1/32) shared the early spoils. A par score on this deck? Around 160-170. LSG had got there, but CSK’s chase loomed large.
CSK’s Chase: From Steady Start to Dhoni’s Magic Finish
Chasing 167 on a slowing pitch with dew creeping in? Tricky, but CSK had the pedigree. Rachin Ravindra and debutant Shaik Rasheed opened, and what a start! Rasheed, the young Tamil Nadu lad making his IPL bow, oozed class. He flicked Avesh Khan off his pads for four and pulled Mitchell Marsh for six in the second over. Ravindra, the Kiwi left-hander, joined the fun with a classy drive through covers.
The powerplay yielded 52/0—CSK’s best of the season. Rasheed raced to 27 off 19, Ravindra to 37 off 25. LSG’s bowlers looked rattled. But Avesh struck back in the sixth over, inducing a top-edge from Rasheed caught by Pooran at short fine leg. 52/1.
Deepak Hooda, promoted for his local knowledge, joined Ravindra. The duo added 20 before Ravi Bishnoi, LSG’s ace spinner, entered the fray. Bishnoi deceived Hooda with a googly—trapped lbw for 14. Review? Upheld. CSK 72/2 in 8.3 overs. Ravindra, looking set for fifty, charged Bishnoi next over and was stumped by Pant off a wide delivery—37 off 25, gone. 78/3.
Now, it was crunch time. Shivam Dube walked in at No. 4, and with Ravindra Jadeja at the other end, CSK needed stability. Jadeja, batting higher up, played a composed knock, nudging singles and rotating strike. But LSG’s spinners tightened the noose. Bishnoi struck again, bowling Jadeja for 22 off 18 with a straighter one. 102/4 in 13 overs.
Vijay Shankar came and went quickly, caught at deep midwicket off Akash Deep for 5. CSK wobbled at 111/5 after 15 overs—56 needed off 30 balls. Enter MS Dhoni at No. 7. The stadium erupted; whistles pierced the air. Even in enemy territory, Thala was king.
Dhoni, calm as ever, took a single off Shardul Thakur (who leaked 0/56 in four overs—tough night). Dube, sensing the moment, upped the ante. He smashed Akash Deep for two sixes over long-on—pure power. The required rate climbed to 12, but Dube and Dhoni’s partnership was gold. They ran hard, picked gaps, and waited for the loose balls.
In the 18th over, Bishnoi returned. Dube swept him for four, but Dhoni middled a straight drive. 18th over: 12 runs. 19th: Shardul’s final over went for 10, including a no-ball. Needing 7 off the last over from Avesh, Dube pulled a short ball for four—winning runs! CSK finished at 168/5 in 19.3 overs. Dube unbeaten on 43 off 37, Dhoni 26* off 11—strike rate 236!
LSG’s fielding had moments of brilliance, like Tripathi’s catch, but errors crept in. Bishnoi’s 2/18 was heroic, but the rest couldn’t contain the finishers.
The Full Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings Match Scorecard: At a Glance
To make it super easy, here’s the complete scorecard in a table. Whether you’re 10 or 100, this breaks down every run, wicket, and over. (All figures from official IPL records.)
Lucknow Super Giants Innings
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden Markram | c Tripathi b Khaleel Ahmed | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Mitchell Marsh | b Anshul Kamboj | 12 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 150.00 |
| Rishabh Pant (c) | c Shankar b Pathirana | 63 | 49 | 7 | 2 | 128.57 |
| Nicholas Pooran | c Dhoni b Noor Ahmad | 18 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Ayush Badoni | st Dhoni b Jadeja | 22 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 137.50 |
| David Miller | lbw b Jadeja | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 107.14 |
| Abdul Samad | not out | 19 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 172.73 |
| Shahbaz Ahmed | b Noor Ahmad | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 160.00 |
| Avesh Khan | not out | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 233.33 |
| Extras | (lb 1, w 1) | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 166/7 (20 overs) | 166 | – | 18 | 4 | 8.30 RR |
Fall of Wickets: 0-1 (Markram, 0.4 ov), 28-2 (Marsh, 4.6 ov), 45-3 (Pooran, 6.3 ov), 90-4 (Badoni, 12.2 ov), 102-5 (Miller, 13.5 ov), 148-6 (Pant, 18.4 ov), 157-7 (Shahbaz, 19.2 ov)
CSK Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khaleel Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Anshul Kamboj | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Noor Ahmad | 4 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 3.25 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 3 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 8.00 |
| Matheesha Pathirana | 3 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 11.67 |
| Kamlesh Nagarkoti | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 |
Chennai Super Kings Innings
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaik Rasheed | c Pooran b Avesh Khan | 27 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 142.11 |
| Rachin Ravindra | st Pant b Bishnoi | 37 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 148.00 |
| Deepak Hooda | lbw b Bishnoi | 14 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 140.00 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | b Bishnoi | 22 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 122.22 |
| Shivam Dube | not out | 43 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 116.22 |
| Vijay Shankar | c Pooran b Akash Deep | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
| MS Dhoni (c & wk) | not out | 26 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 236.36 |
| Extras | (lb 1, w 3, nb 1) | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 168/5 (19.3 overs) | 168 | – | 16 | 6 | 8.62 RR |
Fall of Wickets: 52-1 (Rasheed, 5.4 ov), 72-2 (Hooda, 8.3 ov), 78-3 (Ravindra, 9.5 ov), 102-4 (Jadeja, 13.2 ov), 111-5 (Shankar, 15.1 ov)
LSG Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avesh Khan | 3.3 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 10.00 |
| Mitchell Marsh | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Akash Deep | 4 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 7.50 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 3 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 6.00 |
| Shardul Thakur | 4 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 14.00 |
| Shahbaz Ahmed | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3.33 |
Key Moments That Swung the Game
Cricket’s beauty lies in those “what if” instants, right? Here are the game’s turning points:
- Early Strikes for CSK (Powerplay): Khaleel’s wicket of Markram and Kamboj’s dismissal of Marsh left LSG at 28/2. Without those, LSG might have posted 180+.
- Jadeja’s Middle-Overs Magic: His 2/24 strangled LSG’s momentum. That lbw of Miller? Game-changer, preventing a late surge.
- Pooran’s Early Exit: Noor Ahmad’s googly got the Orange Cap holder cheaply. Had Pooran fired, LSG’s total could have been 20 runs more.
- CSK’s Powerplay Explosion: Rasheed and Ravindra’s 52/0 put pressure on LSG immediately. Debut nerves? Not for Rasheed!
- Bishnoi’s Three-Wicket Haul: The leggie nearly turned it around, but Dube’s composure held firm.
- Dhoni’s Finishing Burst: With 56 needed off 30, Thala’s 26* off 11 included two sixes—one a pull off a full toss in the last over. Vintage Dhoni, turning back the clock at 43!
Stats from the match: Highest sixth-wicket stand vs LSG? Dhoni-Dube’s 57*. Most expensive LSG spell? Shardul’s 0/56. Dhoni became the oldest Player of the Match winner in IPL history.
Player Performances: Stars of the Show
- Rishabh Pant (LSG, 63 off 49): Anchored the innings with poise. His fifty was LSG’s lone bright spot, mixing defense with attack. Needs to convert starts into bigger scores.
- MS Dhoni (CSK, 26 off 11):* The hero! Player of the Match for his finishing. Those helicopter shots? Timeless. Post-match, he said, “It’s always good to win, especially after a tough streak. Gives the boys confidence.”
- Ravindra Jadeja (CSK, 2/24 & 22): All-round gold. His spin turned the tide in LSG’s innings, and his batting stabilized the chase.
- Shivam Dube (CSK, 43 off 37):* The glue. Patient yet powerful, his two sixes in the 18th over eased nerves.
- Ravi Bishnoi (LSG, 3/18): Heartbreak for LSG, but what a spell! His googlies dismantled CSK’s middle order.
Debutant Shaik Rasheed impressed with 27 off 19, earning whistles from the crowd.
Post-Match Buzz: Reactions and Implications
Dhoni at the presentation: “We started losing wickets, but I wanted to take it deep. Finishing the game feels special.” Pant rued dropped chances: “We had them at 111/5, but couldn’t execute in the end.” Fans on social media exploded—#ThalaForAReason trended worldwide, with memes of Dhoni’s sixes flooding timelines.
For CSK, this win (their second) lifted them off the bottom, level on four points with teams above. Playoff hopes? Flickering back to life. LSG slipped to 4-3, still fourth but ruing the dropped catch of Dube early in his knock.
Head-to-head now: LSG 3-2 over CSK. Next for LSG? Tough clashes against SRH and RCB. CSK face GT soon—can they build on this?
Wrapping Up: Why This Match Will Linger in Memory
What a game! From Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings Match Scorecard heart-stopping chase, it had everything—early wickets, middle-overs battles, and a Dhoni masterclass. IPL 2025 continues to thrill, reminding us why we love this league: unpredictable, passionate, and full of heroes.
